Homeless man stabbed while sleeping

SANTA MONICA BLVD ¬ó A homeless man was hospitalized with serious injuries Tuesday morning after an unknown assailant stabbed him in the back as he slept on a bus bench.

The Santa Monica Police Department responded to a call at 5:43 a.m. from a passerby who said that he had found a male white homeless man in his late 50s who had been stabbed, according to a release by the police department.

The victim reported that he had been sleeping, and woke up to the feeling of ¬ìa painful stick in his back,¬î said Sgt. Richard Lewis, spokesperson for the department.

Paramedics transferred the man to a local hospital for treatment. As of this morning, he was in stable condition, according to the release.

Police found the weapon used in the attack, but the attacker is still at large.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Detective Goodwin at (310) 458-8942 or Detective Sumlin at (310) 458-8437.

Those who wish to remain anonymous can call WeTip at 1-800-78-CRIME (1-800-78-27463) or submit the tip online at www.wetip.com. You will remain completely anonymous, and may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 if your information leads to an arrest and conviction, according to the release.

Tipsters may also call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477) or by visiting their website at www.lacrimestopers.org.